Numerous vehicular, industrial and consumer applications rely on magnetic sensors. Examples of such applications include speed sensing applications such as wheel speed, transmission speed, crankshaft and camshaft sensing. Wheel speed sensor Integrated Circuits (ICs) may be used to measure the speed of each wheel and detect whether a wheel blocks during breaking (ABS). This measurement may be used as basic input signals for a car's Electronic Stability Program (ESP). Magnetic angle sensors and linear Hall sensors may also be used to measure steering angle and steering torque, for example. It is known to use Hall and magneto-resistive sensing elements for monolithically integrated magnetic sensors.
Magnetic field applications cause additional cost on the application side due to the need of magnetic pole wheels or ferromagnetic tooth wheels and back-bias magnets. Hence, there is a desire to reduce sensor costs in above mentioned vehicular, industrial and consumer applications.